One-third of Frosses scheme completed

The scheme to dual part of one of the province’s worst accident blackspots is progressing, with a third of the works on the A26 now complete.

While welcoming that around 35% of the construction has now been carried out, UUP MLA for the area Robin Swann called on the Regional Development Minister “not to take her foot off the accelerator” with regard to it’s completion.

The five mile long A26 Frosses dualling scheme between Glarryford and the A44 Drones Road junction on which construction got underway last April represents a £55m investment by the NI Executive.

Mr Swann told The Ballymena Times: “This A26 dualling is absolutely imperative if we are to rid the constituency of the reputation of having one of the most notorious accident blackspots in Northern Ireland.”

Responding to his request for an update, DRD Minister Michele McIlveen said: “I am very pleased to advise that work has been progressing well with approximately 35% of the works completed.”

She revealed that earthworks are ongoing at several locations with approximately 320,000 cubic meters of material moved to-date and that work has also commenced on four of the scheme’s eight major structures, with two of them substantially complete.

The Minister also revealed that realignment of a section of the River Clough and demolition of the Crankhill Bridge has been completed and work is continuing on drainage networks and road pavement construction.

She said: “This excellent scheme, which is expected to be completed by summer 2017, will improve both journey times and journey time reliability for this stretch of the A26, thus reducing driver frustration and improving the safety performance of the route for all road users.”